Max Verstappen versus Charles Leclerc: the F1 Phenomena updated II

Written by Spyros Pettas

Driving talents like those of “Mad Max” Verstappen and Charles Leclerc are born once in two decades.

Max is known for his great ability to carry speed in the corner entry, an art often combined with obvious corrections at the steering wheel – an expression of terrific car control… In Verstappen we have a true and accomplished acrobat of the wheel...

The same applies also for Charles Leclerc, who, in turn, rarely is engaged in very obvious corrections at the steering wheel and who drives extremely fast and cleanly, more with his feet than hands, like his not so distant predecessor in Ferrari, Michael Schumacher...

The two men were destined, since their karting years, to engage in one of the best and fiercest battles in the whole history of F1...

The duels started in 2019, Charles Leclerc’s first year in Ferrari and aboard a competitive single seater after an opening stint with Alfa Romeo Sauber in 2018. In Silverstone 2019 both men showed supreme space perception and the winner was Charles Leclerc, but only after Max collided with Charles’s Ferrari teammate, Sebastian Vettel.

In Austria there was another great episode of the Verstappen versus Leclerc battle: in Spielberg Ferrari underestimated Verstappen’s pace and pitted Leclerc quite early as it proved afterwards: in the later part of the race the Dutch reached the Ferrari SF90 which by now had worn tires, and passed at the first corner with a nudge on the Ferrari, a move that was judged universally unfair but with no further action taken by Fia, the Sport’s governing body... Leclerc after the race was very disappointed and rightly so. His defensive moves with such worn tires were simply phenomenal but to no avail. And the first win for the Monegasque was still elusive...

The two collided again in Suzuka: Max was out and it was the Monegasque’s fault. In the final race in Abu Dhabi, Leclerc passed Max initially only to be repassed by Verstappen a few laps later and the third place battle in the Championship standings turned in favor of the Dutchman…

A year long fought battle for the F1 Crown…

In 2020 and 2021 Ferrari after the (not so secret anymore...) agreement with Fia, didn’t have a decent engine and the valiant Leclerc could not fight so often for top places. In 2021 Verstappen, on the other hand, had a top car and was also a bit lucky in the final race again in Abu Dhabi against the mighty Hamilton and won the title…

But in 2022 Ferrari played its’ cards right and the F1-75 challenger for the all new “ground effect” regulations was a very competitive single seater and lighter than its direct rivals. Leclerc needed no more: he destroyed Verstappen in the opening round in Bahrain, nearly lost in Jedah, annihilated Max in Melbourne and won again with three overtakes over Max in Austria, taking advantage of the then Ferrari’s better tire use.

But Ferrari’s team principal Mattia Binotto played his role in Ferrari’s dismal failure: the strategy of Ferrari’s Iniaki Roueda was ridiculous and Binotto against any common sense was favoring Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz, like it happened in Silverstone. The reliability also of the powerful yet initially fragile “Superfast” engine that the ingenious Wolf Zimmerman designed, was lacking and Leclerc lost because of engine failures two “easy” wins in Baku and Barcelona...

Before Spa in the same year, Binotto, against any common sense again, signed the dismal “TD39” technical directive which cut from the root Ferrari’s wings, implementing higher ride heights. The championship was over for Leclerc who could not compete for victory anymore, while Verstappen was collecting in the same time many effortless wins for the conquest of yet another title, the second consecutive.

In 2023 again, Binotto’s “aftermath”, the Sf23 challenger was a dismal failure: the anti intrusion cone caused an aerodynamic block in front of the sidepod and thus, Ferrari Sf23 was very difficult and demanding to drive. No wins thus for Leclerc and... 19 wins and a third consecutive world title for Verstappen with the all conquering Red Bull RB19 Honda, that used ESP...

In 2024 Ferrari’s challenger the Sf24, was at times a decent car and Leclerc dominated in Monaco, Monza and Austin of all places. But Max won yet another title from Norris, his fourth consecutive.

In 2025, though, the story was similar to that of 2023 and Leclerc could not fight seriously for wins while Verstappen lost the title for two miserable points to McLaren’s Norris because of Antonelli’s mistake exit in Qatar.

In 2026 we have to add and conclude that Leclerc is in a much better shape… And the battle still rages high. Stay tuned...